Link for tire chains



Dec. 19, 1922.

1,439,303. M. J. FRAMBACH.

LINK FOR TIRE CHAINS.

FILED MAR. 3. 1922- v I76. 1.

Patented Dec. 19, 192.2.

airs.

rare

e i c MATHEW J. FBAMBACH, OF HARTLEY, IOWA.

' LINK FOR TIRE CHAINS.

Application filed March 3, .1922. Serial No. 540,716.-

To all whom 2'25 may concern Be it known that I, MATHEW J. FRAM- EACH, a'citizenof the UnitedStates, res1d- 7 ing at Hartley, in the county of- OBrien and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Links for 'Tire Chains and I do. hereby; declare the .following to be a'full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will en- 4 order to'aflord a convenient assemblage of the links, to prevent the tanglingthereo'f when handled or stored, and, to prevent the links from opening up or pulling apart when the tire chain is subjected to vconsiderable strain.

It is also an object of the invention to provide such a chain link for the connection --.of.longitudinal and cross chains which is 7 simple and inexpensive to man'ufactureand also practical and efficient in use.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which willbe apparent as the description proceeds, the invention. resides in; theforination of the link from aalength of wire as hereinafter described and claimed,:

it being understood that changes can-'be unade within the scope of vwhat is claimed without departing from the spirit of the.

. bear against the tire, and one of the arms.

invention.

Theinvention is illustratedin the accomout its length agalnst the tire at the side of panying drawing wherein- Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation showing a portion. of the chain on a tire;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of one of. the improved. links showing same 111 full lines prior to final-formation thereof, and

in dotted'linesthe final form. r

Fig. 311s a fragmentary side elevation showing a modified form of alternate links of the longitudinal chains,

Fig. 4: isan end view of the improved The present tirechainf similar, in general respects, to tlre chains which arebelng used extensively, and -consists,-briefly stated,

in a pairv of longitudinal. side retaining chains to be disposed, at the opposite sides of. the ,tlre, and cross or transverse tread chains eonnectedto the longitudinal chains to extend across theitire.

In carrying out the invention, the links 601? the longitudinal chains .to which the cross chains are connected,,are of special formation. Eachlink: 6 is bent from. a rod or length of stout'wire, and the link has an intermediateportion 7 which is. preferably;

gcurved slightly with the center of curvature at the center or hub of the wheel. The portion? extends longitudinally of the longitudinal or side chain,'and the wire isbent back at the ends ofthe'portion 7 toprovide the loops 8, from'which the arms or portions '10 extend, which. project away from the portion 7 and which also converge together. There. are dents or reentrant bends 9 between the loops 8 and portions 10 ex-.

tending toward theportion 7 ,}and the terminals of-the portions or; arms 10 are the terminals of the rod orwire and are adapted to bear together side by side, said terminals being bent back to one side or outwardly to,

form hooks 11 disposed side by side. The portions 10 cross one. another between the hooks 11 andthe loops 8 andportion 7 one portion 10 being offset outwardly, as at'10 to extend acrossthe other portion 10, and enabling the link to bear against the side wall ofthe tire without chafing same. The

hooks'll are located at that side of the link 1 opposite to the side which is adapted to 10 is adapted to bear substantially throughhe link which is disposed against the tire,

while the other arm has the offset 10.bent

away from the last named side of the link to tire does not have bends or kinks that would be liable to go'uge'into the tire.

each longitudinal or side chain, as shown in Figs.- 1 and 2, have their end portions bent The other or alternate links 12, of the ,moveinto engagement withthe loops 8.

e thereof when the chains 16 come into move out of engagement with "the road or into eyes 13 and fastened by bending the terminals around the body portions, as at 14:, to prevent such eyes from pulling open under the strains imposed on the links.

The links of each longitudinal chain are first assembled, and before assemblage, the throats 15 between the bends or dents 9 and portions 7 are of a width greater thanthe thickness or diameter of material from which the links are made,"so-'that when the eyes 13 of the links 12 are slipped on the terminals of the links 6, said eyes can pass along'the portions 10 and past the bends 9 f0 n placingthe links 12 and moving them into engagement with the links 6, the terminals of the links 6 are spread apart, whioh is permitted by the resiliency "or flexibility of the links, and the hooks 1-1- are normally open,as seen in Fig. 4, before assemblage. Atterthelinks 6 and 12 are'as'sem-bled, the

it dents or bends 9 are-pressedor bent'toward the portion 7 ofeach-linkfiyas indicated in dotted-lines in Fig. 2, thereby closing the throats 15, andlo'cking the eyest13 in the loops S,'so that'said eyes cannot move out of said loops. This will hold the links 6 and 12 in proper relative position, with flexible connectlons'b'etween them, and Wlll avoid the tangling of the chain.

The terminal links of the cross chains 16 are readily engaged with the pairs of hooks 11 of the oppositeside or longitudinal chains,

and the hooks 11 are 'then bent toward the portions 10, for closing such hooks, and prey' 'enting accidental detachment of the'links,

although such hooks 11 can be unbent or "o ened to enable the cross chains-t0 be removed and replaced when worn out.

Owing to the crossing of the portions or arms 10, it will be noted that the terminal hooks 11 in bearing against one another will resist any tendency for the link "6to be pulled open by a tensile strain 'on' the longitudii'ial chain, The tensile strain on 'the chain will have tendency to separate the portions or arms 10, but said arms beingbrossed. and

andv extending substantially longitudinally of the side chain without helm bent out of such longitudinal line.

The links'fi'can also oscillate in 'tl.

pavement, for the creeping of the chain around the tire,'and owing to such 'oseilla tion of the connecting links 6, such creeping of the chain around'the tire enhanced.

In'Fig. 3 a coupling link'12" between" the loops for the engagement-of other links of thelongitudmal chain, and arms extending from the loops and converging together and *formed for the engagement of the cross chain, there being dents between said loops and arms pressed toward such mtermechate "portion tolock said other links'in saidloops.

2. A link for a tire chain or thelike for connecting longitudinal and cross chains,

having intermediate portion extending longitudinally of the longitudinal chain throughout its'length, portions bent back from the ends ofthe intermediate portion and forming loops for the-engagement of other links of the longitudinal chain, arms ext'endingfrom said loops and converging together, the terminals of the'arms being formed with hooks for the engagement of the cross chain, there being dents between said loops and arms pressed toward the intermediate portion to close the throats of said loops and lock the other'links in said loops.

3. A chain link adapted to hear at one side against a tireand having'an intermediate portion, loops at the ends ofsaid portion for the engagement of other links, armsextending from saidloops and converging together and crossing one another, and hooks atthe terminals oi the arms beyond the crossing point of the arms disposed side by side and adapted for the engagement of another chain link, said hooks being located at the side of the link opposite to the first named side, one ot'said-armsbeing adapted to bear substantially throughout its length against 'thetire at thefirst named side oi the link and the other arm being ofi'set away from the first named side to cro ss'the aforesaid arm.

4;. A chain link having an intermediate portion, portions bent back from the ends of said intermediate portion and form ng loops the engagement of other links, and arms -link,and their being dents between said loops and arms pressed toward said intermediate portion to lock said other links in said loops.

5. A chain link having an intermediate in the loops and converging to- 4 portion, portions bent back from the ends of the interl'nediete portion and forming loops for the engagement of other links, arms extending from said loops and converging together and crossing one another, the terminals of said erinsbeing formed With hooks beyond the point of crossing to bear together and adapted for the engagementof a .ehain link; there being dents between said loops and ar ns'pressedtoward the 1ntermediate portion to close the throats of said loops and look said other links in saidloops.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

MATHEW J. FRAMBAGH.

Witnesses:

i E. L. RAND LPH, ELMER NEEBEL. j I 

